Bench seat

ABSTRACT

A bench seat for a breakfast nook, restaurant booth or the like having a backrest supported on the seat frame for vertical movement between a lower position of use and an elevated cleaning position, as well as removal from the frame. In its lower use position, the lower edge of the backrest is located in close proximity to or contacts the seat cushion. When in elevated cleaning position, a clearance space exists between the backrest and seat cushion to facilitate cleaning of the seat. Latches are provided for latching the backrest in its elevated cleaning position.

United States Patent Jones 1 1 Feb. 18, 1975 [54] BENCH SEAT 3,171,685 3/1965 Herschbergcr 297/158 3.279 850 10/1966 Suemann [76] Inventor: Ferns E. Jones, 943 M1llbury, La 7 6 Pueme, Calif. 91744 329 ,52 12/196 Hall 297/353 [22] Filed J1m 1973 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel [21] Appl. NO: 373,111 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBoniard I. Brown 52 us. 01. 297/353, 297/158 [57] ABSTRACT [51 Int. Cl. 1. A476 7/40 A ben h seat for a breakfast nook, restaurant booth or 1 1 Fleld of Search 297/353, 157, the like having a backrest supported on the seat frame 2 R for vertical movement between a lower position of use and an elevated cleaning position, as well as removal 1 1 References Cited from the frame. In its lower use position, the lower UNITED STATES PATENTS edge of the backrest is located in close proximity to or 477,197 6/1892 Barker 297/410 x contacts'the 9 Cushion when in elevated Cleaning 1,522,406 1/1925 Bargen 297/353 x Position, a 919mm9 Space eXiSIS between the back- 2,091,733 8/1937 Hemminger 297/353 rest and seat cushion to facilitate cleaning of the seat. 2,400,167 5/1946 Resnick 297/182 Latches are provided for latching the backrest in its 2,604,930 7/1952 Dean 1 297/158 X elevated cleaning position, 2,772,724 12/1956 Naus 297/352 2,98,3 9 8 6/1961 Hamilton 297/353 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures BENCH SEAT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to furniture and more particularly to an improved bench seat for breakfast nooks, restaurant booths and the like.

2. Prior Art I Home breakfast nooks, restaurant booths and the like commonly have a bench-style seat including a frame supporting a seat cushion and a backrest, which rises from the rear edge of the seat cushion. The bench seat may have a curved or L-shape. By way of example, my co-pending application Ser. No. 281,322 discloses a dining nook construction with a bench seat of the character described and a novel tilt table which is supported on the seat for tilting movement between 21 normal position of use in which the table rests on the floor and a cleaning position in which the table is elevated above the floor to facilitate cleaning below the table.

The existing bench seats of this kind of which I am aware have one disadvantage which this invention overcomes. This disadvantage resides in the fact that food and other debris tends to collect in the crevice between thelower edge of the backrest and the rear edge of the seat cushion. Moreover, the backrest is immovable relative to the seat cushion with the result that removal of such food and debris is extremely difficult, if not impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides an improved bench seat which avoids the above disadvantage of the existing bench seats. To this end, the backrest of the improved seat is mounted on the seat frame for vertical movementor adjustment between a normal lower position of use and an elevated cleaning position. In the normal use position of the backrest, its lower edge is located in close proximity to or contacts the seat cushion of the bench seat to provide a comfortable bench seat construction which inhibits entrance of food and other debris into the crevice between the backrest and seat cushion. When the backrest is elevated to its cleaning position, a relatively wide clearance space exists between the lower edge of the backrest and the rear edge of the seat cushion which permits easy removal of any food or debris which does become lodged in the crevice. Latches are provided for releasibly latching the backrest in its elevated cleaning position.

According to another feature of the invention, the backrest is completely removable from the bench seat frame by elevating the backrest above its cleaning position. This feature facilitates initial transportation and installation of the seat as well as subsequent removal of the seat to a new location, if desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an improved bench seat according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the 1 FIG. 7 illustrates a further modified backrest latch for the bench seat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The illustrated bench seat 10 of the invention has a generally L-shape and includes a seat frame 12 mounting a seat member or cushion 14. This seat cushion has a generally L-shape in top plan view corresponding to the L-shape of the bench seat. At the rear of the seat cushion I4 is a back seat member 16 which rises above the seat cushion. Backrest 16 has a cushion 18 whose lower edge normally bears against the rear edge of the seat cushion 14 to form a crevice 20 between the cush ions. Food and other debris tends to collect in this crevice.

According to this invention, the backrest 16 is supported on the seat frame 12 for vertical movement or adjustment between its normal lower position of use, shown in FIG. 2 wherein the cushions 14, 18 contact as just noted, and an elevated cleaning position, shown in FIGS. 3-7. In this elevated cleaning position, a relatively wide clearance space 22 exists between the seat cushion 14 and backrest cushion 18 which permits easy removal of any food or other debris which collects in the crevice 20 of FIG. 2.

To this end, the seat frame 12 is provided with rigid upright backrest supporting members 24 along the rear edge of the seat cushion 14. These supporting members are spaced along the backrest 16, as shown, and comprise rearwardly opening channels. The backrest has a hollow frame structure 26 comprising front and rear walls 28, 30 rigidly joined along their upper edges to an intervening top frame member 32. Walls 28, 30 are also joined at intervals by vertical frame members 34 which define vertical guideways for slidably receiving the supporting members 24. The backrest 16 is thus slidably supported on the members 24 for vertical movement between its lower use and elevated cleaning positions. In the lower position of the backrest, its top frame member 32 rests on the upper ends of the supporting members. The'backrest is removable from the bench seat by elevating the backrest above the upper ends of the supporting members.

The bench seat is provided with latches for releasibly latching the back rest 16 in its elevated cleaning position. FIG. 3 illustrates a latch member 34 which is pivoted at 36 within the channel support member 24 and has an upper forwardly turned end 38 which engages the front channel wall. When the backrest occupies its lower use position, the latch is positioned between the front channel wall and the rear wall 30 of the back rest, as shown in phantom outline in FIG. 2. The latch member pivots under the action of gravity to its latching position of FIG. 3 when the backrest is elevated to its cleaning position. In this latching position, the latch member engages under the lower edge of the rear backrest wall 30 to latch the backrest in elevated position. The backrest is released to lower to its normal use position by pressing in or forward on the latch member. It will be understood that the bench seat is preferably provided with two or more of these latches.

The latch 40 in FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises one arm pivoted on the support channel 24 which, in this case, is a closed box channel. In latching position, this arm rests on a stop 42 on the channel and projects rearwardly under the lower edge of the rear backrest wall 30 to support the backrest in elevated position. The latch is released to lower the backrest 16 by first elevating the backrest slightly to permit upward swinging of the latch arm alongside the support channel 24 and then lowering the backrest past the arm.

The backrest latch 44 in FIG. 7 is a simple pin insertable into a hole in the channel 24. Preferably, this latch pin is attached by a chain 46 to the channel. In the case of both latch configurations of FIGS. and 7, at least two latches are preferably provided on the bench seat.

The inventor claims:

1. A bench seat comprising: a seat frame, a seat member supported on said frame, a backrest member at the rear of said seat member, and means supporting said backrest member on said frame for vertical movement between a lower position of use wherein the lower edge of said backrest member is disposed in close proximity to the rear edge of said seat member and an elevated cleaning position wherein a relatively wide clearance space exists between the lower edge of the backrest member and the rear edge of the seat member to facilitate cleaning of the bench seat said bench seat having an angular L-shaped configuration, with said backrest member having angularly disposed portions to support a plurality of occupants, and said backrest portions are integrally joined for movement in unison between said use and cleaning positions,

said backrest member is removablefrom said frame by elevation of said latter member above said elevated cleaning position, and

said bench seat includes means for releasibly latching said backrest member in said elevated cleaning position.

2. A bench seat according to claim 1 wherein:

said supporting means comprise upright supporting members rigid on said frame at the rear of and rising above said seat member and slidably supporting said backrest member for vertical movement between said use and cleaning positions.

3. A bench seat according to claim 2 including:

said latch means comprises at least one latch member on a supporting member engageable with said backrest member in its elevated cleaning position for releasibly latching said backrest member in the latter position.

4. A bench seat according to claim 3 wherein:

said backrest member includes wall members slidably receiving therebetween said upright supporting members, and

said latch member is engagable with the lower edge of one wall member in latching position.

5. A bench seat according to claim 4 wherein:

said latch member comprises a removable stop such as a pin.

6. A bench seat according to claim 4 wherein:

said latch member comprises a pivoted latch arm. l 

1. A bench seat comprising: a seat frame, a seat member supported on said frame, a backrest member at the rear of said seat member, and means supporting said backrest member on said frame for vertical movement between a lower position of use wherein the lower edge of said backrest member is disposed in close proximity to the rear edge of said seat member and an elevated cleaning position wherein a relatively wide clearance space exists between the lower edge of the backrest member and the rear edge of the seat member to facilitate cleaning of the bench seat said bench seat having an angular L-shaped configuration, with said backrest member having angularly disposed portions to support a plurality of occupants, and said backrest portions are integrally joined for movement in unison between said use and cleaning positions, said backrest member is removable from said frame by elevation of said latter member above said elevated cleaning position, and said bench seat includes means for releasibly latching said backrest member in said elevated cleaning position.
 2. A bench seat according to claim 1 wherein: said supporting means comprise upright supporting members rigid on said frame at the rear of and rising above said seat member and slidably supporting said backrest member for vertical movement between said use and cleaning positions.
 3. A bench seat according to claim 2 including: said latch means comprises at least one latch member on a supporting member engageable with said backrest member in its elevated cleaning position for releasibly latching said backrest member in the latter position.
 4. A bench seat according to claim 3 wherein: said backrest member includes wall members slidably receiving therebetween said upright supporting members, and said latch member is engagable with the lower edge of one wall member in latching position.
 5. A bench seat according to claim 4 wherein: said latch member comprises a removable stop such as a pin.
 6. A bench seat according to claim 4 wherein: said latch member comprises a pivoted latch arm. 